After eighteen months of consultations with animal rescue groups, advocacy groups and individuals, I have now finalised my Companion Animal Action Paper. It is the blueprint for the work I will be undertaking in parliament.

Of course, there are more issues that will need to be considered over time (for example, companion animals other than cats and dogs, transport of companion animals, use of public space, tenants with animals, penalties for cruelty) but there is plenty to be getting on with in my first term in parliament.

I would like to thank everyone for their contributions, your expertise and input has been invaluable.

Trophy Hunting of Native Animals

That this House condemns the killing of kangaroos, Australia’s national symbol, in canned hunting game parks such as the Ox Ranch in Texas, United States of America.

That this House expresses its disgust at the practice of trophy hunting in Australia, where animals are killed solely for the purpose of the hunter’s pleasure in seeing the animal’s corpse being dismembered and the body parts being preserved and put on display.

That this House notes that animals such as buffalo, wild boar, camels and deer are hunted as trophies in Australia.

Whipping of Horse in the Racing Industry

This Motion was OBJECTED to by the Government.

That this House condemns Racing NSW for permitting the practice of jockeys whipping horses for the purported purpose of increasing the horse’s performance, given that it is an offence under s4 (2) d) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 for animals to be unnecessarily inflicted with pain.

That this House notes the research commissioned in 2012 by the RSPCA and undertaken by Professor Paul McGreevy, Sydney University; “Whip use by jockeys in a sample of Australian Thoroughbred races – an observational study” which

confirmed that repeated striking with a whip (of any type) in the same area of the body has the potential to cause localised trauma and tissue damage, and

identified that the injury will increase with the force of the strike and the number of repetitions.

confirmed that there is unacceptable use of the whip in thoroughbred racing and

the RSPCA recommended that the whip as a performance aid be prohibited.

National Volunteers Week

This Motion was OBJECTED to by the Government.

That this House, in recognition of National Volunteers Week, honours the selfless and compassionate work undertaken by the hundreds of volunteers in NSW, who give generously of their time in caring for injured wildlife, rescued companion animals and provide sanctuary to farmed animals.

That this House congratulates animal carer volunteers for their commitment in providing care and comfort to animals that would otherwise have died, either through neglect, abuse or being killed in council pounds and RSPCA shelters.

Yulin Dog Meat Fesitval

That this House condemns the celebration of the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, commonly referred to as Yulin Dog Meat Festival, which is an annual summer solstice event held in Yulin, Guangxi, China.

That this House notes that the festival only commenced in 2009 and includes activities such as dogs being confined in cages, then beaten, skinned and boiled alive to produce dogmeat which is then consumed by festival goers.

That this House calls upon the Chinese Government to prohibit this egregious cruelty to animals by banning the torture of dogs and consumption of dogmeat at the Yulin Festival.

That this House notes that in NSW it is not unlawful for dogs and cats to be killed and consumed by humans provided the slaughtering process meets the requirements of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979